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Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) (33)
Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) was a mountain of forbearance and tolerance. He maintained his composure in every situation and always conducted in accordance to the sunnah.
Below are some of the observations and testimonies of the contemporaries of Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) in regard to his high level of tolerance and forbearance:
Yazeed bin Haaroon (rahimahullah) once praised Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) mentioning, “I never saw a person with more tolerance and forbearance than Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah).”
Yazeed bin Kummait (rahimahullah) reports the following incident:
I once observed Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) when a certain person came to him and began to insult him. The person called Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) a ‘zindeeq’ (one who is deviated). Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) remained calm and composed and gently said to the person, “May Allah Ta‘ala forgive you for what you have said. Allah Ta‘ala knows that what you have said, regarding me, is false and untrue.”
(‘Uqood-ul-Jummaan pg. 270)
The Intelligence of Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) - Part Two
Written by user2There was once a man in Kufah who would speak ill of Hazrat ‘Uthmaan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) by calling him a Jew.
One day, Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) approached this man and said to him, “I have come to you with a marriage proposal.” The man asked, “Whose hand are you proposing for?” Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) replied, “I am asking for your daughter’s hand, and the proposal is from a man who is noble, wealthy and a haafiz of the Qur’aan Majeed. He is generous, stands in salaah the entire night and weeps excessively due to the fear of Allah Ta‘ala.”
The Generosity of Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) – Part Three
Written by user2Yahya bin Khaalid (rahimahullah) narrates:
Once, Ebrahim bin ‘Uyainah was imprisoned on account of an outstanding debt which amounted to more than forty-thousand dirhams. Hence, some of his friends went to different people collecting funds to pay his debt and secure his release.
When they came to Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah), he enquired, “How much is his debt?” They replied, “It is more than forty-thousand dirhams.” Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) next asked, “Have you already collected money from others?” When they replied in the affirmative, Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) said, “Return whatever money you have collected to those from whom you took it. I will settle the entire debt that he is owing.”
(‘Uqood-ul-Jummaan pg. 235)
Shaqeeq bin Ebrahim (rahimahullah) mentions:
On one occasion, I was walking along the road with Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah), proceeding to visit a person who was sick. As we were walking, a certain person (who was on the same road) saw Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) from afar. As he saw Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah), he tried to hide from him and began to walk on a different road.
Mis‘ar (rahimahullah) reports:
Whenever Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) would purchase anything for his family, he would spend the same amount of money which he spent on his family on the senior ‘Ulamaa of the time. Even if he purchased clothing for his family, he would purchase clothing to the same value for the ‘Ulamaa as well.
Likewise, when fruit and dates would arrive in Kufah, and he wished to purchase them for himself and his family, then he would not forget the senior ‘Ulamaa of the time. Hence, he would first purchase the fruit, dates, etc. for the ‘Ulamaa, and thereafter purchase them for his own family.
(Uqood-ul-Jummaan pg. 233)
Ismaa‘eel bin Hammaad bin Abi Hanifah (rahimahullah) reports the following:
When Hammaad, the son of Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah), completed learning Surah Faatihah, Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) gave his son’s Ustaad five hundred dirhams as a gift.
According to another narration, Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) gave the Ustaad one thousand dirhams as a gift.
Some narrations mention that when the Ustaad received the gift, he asked, “What have I done for which Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) has sent me this gift?” When Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) heard of this, he called the Ustaad and said, “Do not consider that which you taught my son to be small or insignificant! By Allah! If we possessed more wealth at this time, we would have given it to you out of respect and honor for the Qur’aan Majeed!”
(‘Uqood-ul-Jummaan pg. 231, Akhbaar Abi Hanifah wa Ashaahibhi lis-Saymari pg. 58)
The Generosity of Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) – Part Two
Written by user2Hasan bin Ziyaad (rahimahullah) mentions:
On one occasion, Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) noticed that a certain person seated in his gathering was wearing clothing that was tattered and old. Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) asked this person to remain seated after the majlis (gathering) had terminated.
The man did as requested and waited after the majlis, until all the other people had dispersed. Once they were alone, Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) said to him, “Lift the musallah.” When the man lifted the musallah, he saw that there were a thousand dirhams beneath it. Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) then commanded him to take the money and said to him, “Use this money to fulfill your needs and improve your condition.”
(‘Uqood-ul-Jummaan pg. 231)
Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) in the Eyes of Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Mubaarak (rahimahullah)
Written by user2Mansoor bin Haashim reports:
We were once in the company of Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Mubaarak (rahimahullah) in Qaadisiyyah when a man from Kufah came to him and began to speak ill of Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah). Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Mubaarak (rahimahullah) reproached the man saying, “Woe to you! How can you speak ill of a man who performed ‘esha and fajr with the same wudhu for forty five years (due to spending the entire night in salaah), and he would recite the entire Qur’aan Majeed in one night in two rakaats of salaah, and I acquired the knowledge of Fiqh with which I was blessed from none other than him?”
(Tabyeedh-us-Saheefah pg. 136)
On one occasion, a person buried some wealth in a certain place for safekeeping, but subsequently forgot where he had buried it. He thus came to Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) and laid his complaint before him, asking if he could assist in any way.
Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) responded, “Your question is not related to fiqh. Hence, there is no mas’alah for me to work out. Nevertheless, you should go home and perform salaah the entire night until the morning, as you will then remember where you buried your wealth.”
Abul Juwairiyah (rahimahullah) mentions the following:
I was blessed with the opportunity to spend time in the company of Hammaad bin Abi Sulaimaan (rahimahullah), ‘Alqamah bin Marthad (rahimahullah), Muhaarib bin Dithaar (rahimahullah) and ‘Awn bin ‘Abdillah (rahimahullah). I was also blessed with the opportunity to spend time in the company of Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah), and I did not find any person who spent his night more excellently than Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah). I spent six months in his company, and during the entire period of six months, I never once saw him lie down and sleep at night (i.e. every night, he would spend the entire night performing salaah).
(Tabyeedh-us-Saheefah pg. 126)
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Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) in the Words of Imaam Wakee’ (rahimahullah)
Written by user2Imaam Wakee’ (rahimahullah) once described Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) in the following words:
By Allah! Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) was extremely honest and trustworthy. His heart was filled with the awareness of Allah Ta‘ala and His greatness. He would give preference to pleasing Allah Ta‘ala over everything else. His high level of pleasing Allah at every moment was such that even if he had been struck by swords in trying to uphold deen and please Allah Ta‘ala, he would have surely bore it with patience and been pleased with the decree of Allah, in the manner which the pious friends of Allah are always pleased with the decree of Allah. Certainly, Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) was among the pious friends of Allah.
(Tabyeedh-us-Saheefah pg. 123)
Hazrat Sufyaan Thowri (rahimahullah) Showing Extraordinary Respect to Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah)
Written by user2Hazrat Abu Bakr bin ‘Ayyaash (rahimahullah) reports the following:
When the brother of Hazrat Sufyaan Thowri (rahimahullah), Hazrat ‘Umar bin Sa‘eed (rahimahullah), passed away, we came to Hazrat Sufyaan (rahimahullah) to offer our condolences to him. When we arrived at his majlis, we found that there were many people present, including Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Idrees (rahimahullah).
While I was there, Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) suddenly arrived with a group of people. As soon as Hazrat Sufyaan Thowri (rahimahullah) saw him, he moved from his place and stood. He then hugged Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) and made him sit in his own place, thereafter sitting in front of Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) with the utmost humility.
Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) in the Words of Hazrat Fudhail bin ‘Iyaaz (rahimahullah)
Written by user2Hazrat Fudhail bin ‘Iyaadh (rahimahullah) once described Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) in the following words:
Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) was a Faqeeh (person blessed with the true understanding of Deen) and his mastery in the science of Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence) is well known to all. He was renowned for his piety, and Allah Ta‘ala had blessed him with abundant wealth. He was known for his quality of showing kindness to those who sought assistance from him. He was steadfast and committed to imparting the knowledge of deen. He would pass the night in an excellent manner through engaging in the ‘ibaadah of Allah Ta‘ala. He would remain silent and would speak very little. However, when he would be asked a mas’alah regarding halaal and haraam, then he would speak and would guide the person towards the truth in an excellent and gentle manner. He would avoid accepting any wealth or gifts from the ruler. If Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) was asked any mas’alah regarding which there was an authentic Hadith, he would follow the Hadith and practice upon it. In the case where he did not find a Hadith, but was informed regarding the narrations of the Sahaabah and Taabi‘een, then he would follow what he received from the Sahaabah and Taabi‘een. If Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) did not find any Hadith or narration of the Sahaabah and Taabi‘een, he would employ his ijtihaad and thereafter deduce the shar’ee ruling for the mas’alah.
(Tabyeedh-us-Saheefah pg. 123)
Imaam Abu Hanifah’s (rahimahullah) Concern for Safeguarding his Deen
Written by user2Hazrat Khaarijah bin Mus‘ab (rahimahullah) narrates the following incident:
On one occasion, the ruler, Mansoor, wished to give Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) ten thousand dirhams. He thus summoned Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) to come and collect the money.
When Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) was summoned and learnt that the ruler wished to give him money, he immediately turned to me and asked me for advice saying, “This man is such that if I reject his money, he will be angered, and if I accept it, he will try to influence me and make me compromise in matters of deen.”